Heysel Stadium disaster — spectator riot in Brussels, Belgium on 29 May 1985
A crowd crush at the 1985 European Cup final killed 39 people and led to a five-year ban on all English clubs from European competition.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- 39 people
- Injured
- 600 people
- English clubs banned (years)
- Indefinite (lifted 1990–91)
- Liverpool additional ban
- 3 years (reduced to 1)
- Liverpool fans convicted
- 14 found guilty of manslaughter
- Match result
- Juventus 1–0 Liverpool
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Approximately one hour before the 1985 European Cup final at Brussels' Heysel Stadium, Liverpool supporters began throwing objects at and then physically attacking fans in the adjacent neutral section, tearing down the separating chicken-wire fence. The stadium was already in a state of disrepair, having failed pre-event safety inspections, and was ill-equipped to manage a crowd incident of any scale.
As Juventus fans fled the Liverpool supporters, they were pressed against a deteriorating concrete wall at the edge of the neutral zone. Belgian police blocked access to the pitch and the exits, leaving the crowd with nowhere to go. The wall eventually collapsed under the crush, killing 39 people—mostly Italian Juventus supporters—and injuring around 600 others. Authorities nonetheless decided to play the match to prevent further disorder, with Juventus winning 1–0.
UEFA placed all English clubs under an indefinite ban from European competition, lifted in 1990–91, with Liverpool serving an additional year beyond the general ban. Fourteen Liverpool supporters were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison. Belgian security officials, including police captain Johan Mahieu, were also found guilty. The disaster prompted widespread reforms in European stadium safety and crowd management standards.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 39 (other)